Curve drive for oscillating motions on winding rods of stator winding machines

ABSTRACT

A drive mechanism for imparting a combined synchronized reciprocating and oscillatory movement to a winding rod or bar of a stator winding machine for laying in the conductors includes a main drive shaft coupled to one mechanism which converts rotary motion of the drive shaft into reciprocating motion of the winding bar which is guided in a longitudinal direction through a bore in a rotatably mounted oscillatory bush. The bush bore and bar have non-circular surfaces, e.g., polygonal so as to effect oscillation of the winding bar as the bush is oscillated and at the same time as the winding bar is reciprocated. Another mechanism provided for oscillating the bush includes an oscillatory articulated arm having a gear segment located to one side of the axis of articulation and which is meshed with an externally formed gear on the bush, and a shaft portion located to the other side of the articulation axis which is received in the bore of a rocker bearing. The rocker bearing mounts a circular cam follower located between two cam discs which as they rotate impart a reciprocating movement to the cam follower along a path transverse to the axis of the articulated arm which thereby produces the desired oscillation of the latter. The cam discs are slidably mounted on auxiliary drive shafts which are coupled to the main drive shaft by means of a gear transmission, and the cam discs together with the cam follower and rocker bearing constitute a sub-assembly which can be adjusted longitudinally of the articulated arm with respect to the oscillatory axis so as to effect a corresponding change in the angle through which the gear segment is oscillated and hence a corresponding change in the angle through which the bush and winding bar oscillates.

Waited States atent [191 l-loppc May 29, 1973 CURVE DRIVE FOR OSCILLATING [57] ABSTRACT A drive mechanism for imparting a combined 7 synchronized reciprocating and oscillatory movement [75] Inventor: Lothar Hoppe, Zurich, Switzerland to a winding rod or bar of a stator winding machine [73] Assignee: Microfil A.G., Zurich, Switzerland for laying in the conductor.s inchides a main drive shaft coupled to one mechanism which converts rotary [22] Filed: June 30, 1971 motion of the drive shaft into reciprocating motion of the winding bar which is guided in a longitudinal [21] Appl' 158207 direction through a bore in a rotatably mounted osci1- latory bush. The bush bore and bar have non-circular [30] Foreign Application Priority Data surfaces, e.g., polygonal so as to effect oscillation of J l 6 1970 G the winding bar as the bush is oscillated and at the u y 20 33 same time as the winding bar is reciprocated. Another mechanism rovided for oscillatin the bush includes 52 us CI. ......-...74/23, 242/1.1 R, 74/55 an oscillator; articulated arm hafng a gear Segment [51] Int. Cl. .....Fl6h 21/00 located to one Side of the axis f articulation and [58] Field of Search ..242/ 1.1 R; 74/23, Which is meshed with an externally f d gear on the 74/ 55, 435 bush, and a shaft portion located to'the other side of the articulation axis which is received in the bore of a [56] References Cited rocker bearing. The rocker bearing mounts a circular cam follower located between two cam discs which as UNITED STATES PATENTS they rotate impart a reciprocating movement to the 711,534 10/1902 Sawyer ..74/7s cam follower along a p transverse to the axis of the 2,429,659 l0/l947 Zellweger et al..... ..74/55 articulated arm which thereby produces the desired 3,025,008 3/1962 Nillet al. 242/].1 R oscillation of the latter. The cam discs are slidably ,04 9 M rrill 242/] IR mounted on auxiliary drive shafts which are coupled 3,193,208 7/ 1965 Bmggemann- R to the main drive shaft by means of a gear transmis- 3460,770 8/1969 Eminger 242/1l R sion, and the cam discs together with the cam follower 3,580,090 5/1971 Bondarenko ..74/96 Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr. Att0rneyPierce, Scheffler & Parker and rocker bearing constitute a sub-assembly which can be adjusted longitudinally of the articulated arm with respect to the oscillatory axis so as to effect a corresponding change m the angle through WhlCl'l the gear segment is oscillated and hence a corresponding change in the angle through which the bush and winding bar oscillates.

5 Claims. 4 Drawing Figures PATENT M29 1975 SHEET 3 or 4 CURVE DRIVE lFOlR OSCILLATING MOTIONS ON WINDING RODS OF STATOR WINDING MACHINES This invention relates to an improved drive arrangement for imparting an oscillatory motion to a winding bar of a stator winding machine at the same time that the bar is being reciprocated in order to lay in the conductors for the stator.

Various types of drives for this purpose have been developed in the past but have disadvantages of one kind or another. For example, in US. Pat. No. 3,460,770 a cylindrical body with a cut-in grooved cam and roller is utilized but the oscillating stroke of the winding bar is fixed and determined by the particular configuration of the cylindrical body; hence the only way in which the oscillating stroke can be changed is by substituting one cylindrical body for a different one. A somewhat different arrangement is disclosed in German application No. 1,488,441 laid open for inspection but an adjustment in the angle of oscillation of the winding bar can be effected only by a rather cumbersome transmission consisting of a large number of elements such that speed of the machine is greatly limited.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved oscillatory drive for the winding bars which involves relatively few and simple parts having small masses, which is reliable in operation and which ensures oscillating movements in the maximum range of 180 on the winding bar even at high winding velocities.

This objective is attained by a novel oscillatory drive mechanism which comprises an articulated arm includ ing a gear segment located to one side of the axis around which the arm is made to oscillate and which meshes with a toothed bush having a non-circular bore, e.g., polygonal through which the winding bar is guided in its reciprocating movement. To the other side of its oscillatory axis, the arm includes a cylindrical shaft portion which is accommodated in the bore of a rocker bearing provided with a circular cam follower rotatably mounted thereon, the cam follower being located between and contacted by a pair of identical cam discs which are mounted on parallel spaced shafts driven at the same speed. Rotation of the cam discs at the same speed and in the same direction serves to impart a reciprocating movement to the cam follower and rocker bearing in a direction transverse to the axis of the articulated arm which is thereby converted into a corresponding oscillatory motion of the articulated arm and gear segment.

The angular extent of the oscillatory movement of the gear segment is determined by the distance between the rocker bearing'on the cylindrical shaft portion of the articulated arm and the pivot axis and this distance is made adjustable by mounting the cam discs,cam follower and rocker bearing on a subassembly so that these components can be adjusted longitudinally of the shaft portion of the articulated arm, and secured in any desired position. I

The foregoing as well as other objects and advantages inherent in the invention will become more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof and from the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the drive mechanism within its housing;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section taken on line AA of FIG. ll;

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line B-B of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on line CC of FIG. 2.

With reference now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a housing 1 of a horizontally working stator winding machine, the latter being of conventional construction and therefore not further detailed. Mounted with housing 1 for rotation about its axis is a drive shaft 2. A flange 19 is located on the right end of shaft 2, as viewed in FIG. 1, and to its right side is secured with a variable distance an eccentric roll 18 which dips, in known manner, between the rolling paths of a link 20 from which winding bar or rod 17 is entrained in order to transform the rotary motion of shaft 2 and flange 19 into longitudinal motion of winding bar 17. While link 20 slides on two parallel spaced stationary columns 21, winding bar 17 is guided by means of a bush 15 which is mounted for oscillatory movement about its axis by means of two sets of ball bearings 16 which respectively support the bush for rotation at its opposite ends. The periphery of winding bar has a non-circular configuration, for example, square, as shown in FIG. 2, and passes through a noncircular bore in bush 15, also of the same configuration as that of winding bar 17, so that the bar 17 is slidingly guided in the bush but cannot rotate relative to it. By means in accordance with the invention which will be later described, bush 15 is oscillated about its axis while winding bar 17 is being reciprocated along its axis and thus a combined reciprocating and oscillatory motion is imparted to the winding bar.

The left end portion of shaft 2 is reduced in diameter and passes through a bearing located in the wall of housing 1 to the outside. Here a drive pulley 3 is mounted and pulley 3 is connected by a drive belt 4 to a drive motor, not illustrated. Mounted on shaft 2 within housing 1 near the left end of the latter as viewed in FIG. 1 is a spur gear 5 which is meshed with an idler gear 6 mounted for rotation on a stub axle 29 protruding from the end wall of housing 1 by means of a ball bearing 30. As shown more clearly in FIG. 3, idler gear 6 is meshed with two spur gears 7, the latter being of the same diameter and being secured respectively on parallel spaced shafts 8 so as to drive these shafts. Spur gears 7 are also of the same diameter as gear 5 and have the same number of teeth, and as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the axes of shafts 8 extend parallel with the axis of shaft 2, and because of the equal size of gears 5 and 7, they are located at equal distances from the center of idler gear 6 and the shaft 2, respectively. As seen in FIG. 2, the left end of each shaft 8 is mounted for rotation within a ball bearing 31 supported within the left end wall of housing 1, and in a similar manner-the right end of each shaft 8 is also mounted for rotation within ball bearing 31 supported by a transversely extending web portion la within the housing.

Mounted eccentrically on each shaft 8 is a disc 10, each disc 10 being secured upon its respective shaft by means of a longitudinally extending key 9 which permits longitudinal displacement along the shaft. As shown inFIGS. l, 2 and 4, each of the discs 10 is provided at its right side with a circular guide groove 10a which receives a fork 22a upstanding on a slide block 22 which is arranged for sliding movement on a plate 28 secured to the housing by means of screws 32. Movement of slide block 22 is in a direction axially of shafts 8 and is effected by means of a rack-and-pinion drive, there being a rack gear 23 secured in place along the slide block 22 and a pinion 24 meshed therewith, the pinion 24 being secured to a pinion shaft 24a mounted for rotation in plate 28. Located on the pinion shaft 240 outside of plate 28 is a collar to which an adjusting knob 26 is attached by means of a carrier pin 25. A nut 27 is provided on the outer threaded end of pinion shaft 24a by means of which the adjusting knob 26 and pinion 24 can be prevented from turning. With nut 27 in a loosened state, knob 26 can be rotated, thus rotating pinion 24 which thus shifts rack gear 23 and hence slide block 22 and the cam discs carried by forks 22a longitudinally along the axis of shafts 8 to a desired position. Nut 27 is then tightened which then serves to pull down on pinion 24 causing slide block 22 to be locked frictionally against plate 28.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, a rotatable circular cam follower 11 with a pressed-in rocker bearing 12 is arranged between the two cam discs 10, the circular cam follower being provided with end flanges which embrace the opposite sides of the cam discs 10. Rocker bearing 12 is provided with a central bore which receives a cylindrically configured end 13b of an articulated arm 13 the center line of which coincides with the plane containing the axes of the two shafts 8. The articulation for arm 13 is provided by means of a pivot hear ing in the form of a pivot shaft 14 located intermediate of and at a normal to the shafts 8, the pivot shaft being secured in a fork-shaped part of the housing web la. The portion of the articulated arm 13 on the opposite side of the pivot shaft 14 from the cylindrical end 13b is formed as a gear segment 13a which meshes with the toothed periphery of the bush l5.

OPERATION As previously explained, rotation of shaft 2 and flange l9 thereon is converted into a reciprocation of link and winding bar 17. During rotation of flange 19 the two cam discs 10 are likewise driven in rotation by way of the gear transmission 5, 6, 7 and shafts 8. As shown in FIG. 4, the eccentric mounting of the circular discs 10 on their respective shafts 8 develop a cam action in relation to the circular cam follower 11 located intermediate the cam discs 10 and as the latter rotate at the same speed, and in the same direction, as indicated by the directional arrows, cam follower 11 will be caused to rotate about its axis and also simultaneously execute a reciproating motion along a path transverse to the axis of arm 13. The reciprocating movement of cam follower 11 is thus transmitted to articulated arm 13 through rocker bearing 12 causing arm 13 to be oscillated about the axis of pivot shaft 14 which serves to oscillate gear segment 13a and also bush 15 and winding bar 17 at the latter simultaneously executes its reciprocating motion through the bush 15. The necessary synchronous run of flange 19 with the cam discs 10 is ensured by having the same number of teeth on gear 5,

driven by shaft 2, and gears 7 driving the twin shafts 8, and idler gear 6. At the same time, measures are taken to arrange the reciprocating movement of winding bar 17 along its axis and oscillatory movement about its axis by selecting the tooth engagement in a functiondependent phase order of to each other, as depicted by the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Adjustment of the longitudinal stroke of winding bar 17 is effected inside of housing 1 by adjusting the eccentricity of roll 18 on flange 19. Adjustment of the os cillatory movement of winding bar 17 about its axis is effected from the outside of housing 1 by means of the adjustment knob 26 which functions to rotate pinion 24 and effect longitudinal displacement of gear rack 23 and hence a like displacement of the assembly comprising slide block 22, forks 22a, cam discs 10, follower 11 and rocker bearing 12 along arm 13. Adjustment of rocker bearing 12 in a direction away from the fulcrum of the articulated arm 13 established by the axis of pivot shaft 14 lengthens the lever arm and reduces the angle of oscillation of gear segment 13a in relation to the constant reciprocating stroke of rocker bearing 12 thus effecting a reduction of the angle of oscillation of bush 15 and winding bar 17. Conversely, decreasing the distance between the center of rocker bearing 12 and the pivot axis of shaft 14 serves to shorten the lever arm and increases the angle of oscillation of gear segment 13a and also that of bush 15 and winding bar 17 up to a maximum range of I claim:

1. A drive mechanism for imparting a combined synchronized reciprocating and oscillatory movement to a winding bar of a stator winding machine for laying in the conductors comprising a rotary drive means coupled to a first mechanism for converting rotary motion of said drive means into reciprocating motion of the winding bar, and a second mechanism coupled with said rotary drive means for imparting an oscillatory movement to said winding bar as it reciprocates, said second mechanism including a rotatably mounted oscillatory bush having a non-circular bore engaged with a corresponding non-circular surface on said winding bar for guiding said winding bar in its longitudinal movement as well as preventing relative rotation therebetween, an articulated arm which includes a gear segment located to one side of the axis of articulation and which is meshed with an external gear on said bush and which further includes a shaft portion located to the opposite side of said articulation axis, a rocker bearing including a bore through which said shaft portion of said articulated arm passes, a pair of cam discs between which a circular cam follower mounted on said rocker bearing is located, a drive shaft individual to and mounting each of said cam discs for rotation in the same direction bY said rotary drive means thereby to impart a reciprocating movement to said cam follower and rocker bearing along a path transverse to the axis of said articulated arm thereby to effect an oscillatory movement of said am and hence also said gear segment, bush and winding bar, and means structuring said rocker bearing, cam follower and cam discs as a subassembly adjustable longitudinally of said shaft portion of said articulated arm thereby to effect a corresponding adjustment in the angle through which said arm is oscillated.

2. A drive mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam discs are mounted on their respective drive shafts by means including a longitudinally keyed connection which permits longitudinal adjustment of said cam discs along said shafts as said sub-assembly is adjusted.

5. A drive mechanism as defined in claim ll wherein said sub-assembly of rocker bearing, cam follower and cam discs is carried by an adjustable slide, and which further includes a rack gear secured to said slide and a hand actuated pinion meshed with said rack gear for effecting adjustment thereof. 

1. A drive mechanism for imparting a combined synchronized reciprocating and oscillatory movement to a winding bar of a stator winding machine for laying in the conductors comprising a rotary drive means coupled to a first mechanism for converting rotary motion of said drive means into reciprocating motion of the winding bar, and a second mechanism coupled with said rotary drive means for imparting an oscillatory movement to said winding bar as it reciprocates, said second mechanism including a rotatably mounted oscillatory bush having a non-circular bore engaged with a corresponding non-circular surface on said winding bar for guiding said winding bar in its longitudinal movement as well as preventing relative rotation therebetween, an articulated arm which includes a gear segment located to one side of the axis of articulation and which is meshed with an external gear on said bush and which further includes a shaft portion located to the opposite side of said articulation axis, a rocker bearing including a bore through which said shaft portion of said articulated arm passes, a pair of cam discs between which a circular cam follower mounted on said rocker bearing is located, a drive shaft individual to and mounting each of said cam discs for rotation in the same direction bY said rotary drive means thereby to impart a reciprocating movement to said cam follower and rocker bearing along a path transverse to the axis of said articulated arm thereby to effect an oscillatory movement of said arm and hence also said gear segment, bush and winding bar, and means structuring said rocker bearing, cam follower and cam discs as a subassembly adjustable longitudinally of said shaft portion of said articulated arm thereby to effect a corresponding adjustment in the angle through which said arm is oscillated.
 2. A drive mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam discs are mounted on their respective drive shafts by means including a longitudinally keyed connEction which permits longitudinal adjustment of said cam discs along said shafts as said sub-assembly is adjusted.
 3. A drive mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive shafts for said cam discs are coupled to said rotary drive means through a gear transmission.
 4. A drive mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the axes of said drive shafts for said cam discs are located in a common plane which passes also through the axis of said shaft portion of said articulated arm.
 5. A drive mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said sub-assembly of rocker bearing, cam follower and cam discs is carried by an adjustable slide, and which further includes a rack gear secured to said slide and a hand actuated pinion meshed with said rack gear for effecting adjustment thereof. 